Brothers run for a better life for bears!

Two ‘wild’ runners dressed as bears are hoping to raise vital funds for international wildlife charity the Born Free Foundation’s ‘Bear Me in Mind’ appeal, when they complete the Vitality British 10K London Run on Sunday 10th July, dressed as brown bears!

Brothers, Darren and Mark Smith, (from London and Hedge End, Southampton respectively) were inspired to run For Born Free, when they learnt about the plight of three orphaned bear cubs found wandering the streets of Tbilisi in Georgia, after floods hit the city last summer. The cubs (since named Mollie, Georgia and Louisa) were taken to a safe place at the municipal dog shelter in the city, UK-based charity the Mayhew Trust, where they quickly began to outgrow their temporary homes.

Born Free stepped in and worked with its partners at the Arcturos sanctuary in Northern Greece, to provide the cubs with a new home which is as close to their natural environment as possible, and in May, they arrived to begin their new lives. Money raised by the ‘Bear Me in Mind’ appeal will provide lifetime care for the three bears, at the sanctuary.

Darren said, “Mark and I have been fascinated with bears since we did a charity climb through the Rockies in 2002. We had some face to face meetings and lived to tell the tale!”

“It broke my heart to hear about what these cubs had been through, and I’m so pleased to hear that they have now arrived at their new home in Greece. Moving forward, money raised will help Arcturos to create a beautiful new woodland enclosure and provide the care, nourishment and enrichment that these bears need as they grow, and for the rest of their lives.”